Among the most emphasized obligations in Islam are honoring one’s parents and maintaining the ties of kinship. These duties are not merely acts of social kindness but acts of worship commanded by Allah and reinforced by the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
The well-known hadith collection Riyad as-Salihin by Imam an-Nawawi contains a chapter titled “Kind treatment towards parents and establishment of the ties of blood relationship.” This chapter gathers the Qur’anic verses and prophetic narrations related to these obligations. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin explained this chapter, clarifying the meanings of the evidences and the importance of fulfilling these rights.
This page rests on that explanation: Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen’s Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen (Explanation of Riyaad as-Saaliheen), Vol. 3.
In the explanation, it is clarified that the chapter concerns two closely related duties: being dutiful to parents and maintaining family relationships.
It is stated:
“The parents are the father and the mother. He expressed the right of the parents as al-Birr, kindness, in consonance with what came from the text and the right of blood relations as maintaining ties of kinship because this is how it also came from the text. Blood relations are the relatives.”
(Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 207)
Thus, honoring parents and maintaining kinship are among the rights established by Allah.
The Command to Worship Allah and Honor Parents
The explanation begins with the Qur’anic verses that establish the obligation of honoring parents and maintaining kinship.
Allah says:
“Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud and boastful.”
(Surah An-Nisa 4:36; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 205)
This verse shows that after the command to worship Allah alone comes the command to treat parents and relatives with kindness.
Another verse warns against severing family relationships:
“And fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship).”
(Surah An-Nisa 4:1; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed pp. 205-206)
Allah also praises those who maintain the ties of kinship:
“And those who join that which Allah has commanded to be joined (they are good to their relatives and do not sever the bond of kinship).”
(Surah Ar-Ra‘d 13:21; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 206)
These verses demonstrate that maintaining family ties is a command from Allah and that severing them is condemned.
The Special Status of Parents
Among all relatives, parents have the greatest right.
Allah commands kindness toward parents in very clear terms:
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor reprimand them but address them in terms of honor.”
(Surah Al-Isra 17:23; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 206)
Believers are also commanded to show humility and mercy toward their parents:
“And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.’”
(Surah Al-Isra 17:24; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 206)
Another verse reminds believers of the hardship of motherhood and the duty of gratitude:
“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years — give thanks to Me and to your parents.”
(Surah Luqman 31:14; Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 206)
This verse connects gratitude toward parents with gratitude toward Allah.
These verses, and Surah An-Nisa 4:36 above, also appear on this site’s page How Muslims Should Treat Non-Muslim Parents in a different translation, where they answer a different question.
Dutifulness to Parents Among the Greatest Deeds
The Sunnah confirms the immense virtue of honoring parents.
The hadeeth of Ibn Mas‘ud shows where kindness to parents stands among the deeds:
“Abdullah bin Mas‘ud reported: I asked the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Which of the deeds is loved most by Allah?’ Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Salat at its proper time.’ I asked, ‘What next?’ He ﷺ replied, ‘Kindness to parents.’ I asked, ‘What next?’ He replied, ‘Jihad in the way of Allah.’”
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 207, Hadeeth 312)
The Shaykh notes that in this hadeeth the Prophet ﷺ placed kindness to parents above Jihad in the cause of Allah (Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 209).
This hadith demonstrates that honoring parents is among the greatest acts of worship.
If someone were to ask, “What is kindness?”, the Shaykh answers:
“It is treating them kindly in speech, action and wealth according to one’s best ability. Fear Allah as much as you can, and the opposite of that is irresponsibility.”
(Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 209)
The Immense Rights of Parents
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also emphasized that the rights of parents are extremely great and cannot truly be repaid.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“No son can repay (the kindness shown by his father) unless he finds him a slave and buys him and emancipates him.”
(Reported by Muslim) (Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 207, Hadeeth 313)
This statement illustrates the immense sacrifices parents make while raising their children.
Upholding the Ties of Kinship
Islam commands believers not only to honor their parents but also to maintain relationships with relatives.
Kinship includes close relatives such as siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, and other family members. Maintaining these relationships strengthens families and communities, while severing them leads to harm and sin.
The chapter gathers many evidences from the Qur’an and Sunnah demonstrating the obligation of preserving these ties and warning against cutting them. Among them is the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah:
“Abu Hurairah reported: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Allah created all the creatures and when He finished the task of His creation, Ar-Rahm (ties of relationship) said: “(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with You against severing my ties.” Allah said: “That I treat with kindness those who treat you with kindness and sever ties with those who sever ties with you.” It said: “I am satisfied.” Allah said: “Then this is yours.”’ Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Recite this Ayah if you like: “Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.”’ (47:22,23)”
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 210, Hadeeth 315)
What counts as keeping these ties is known by custom, as the Shaykh explains:
“Hence, it returns to the custom; whatever is considered as maintaining kinship by convention, and whatever people know among themselves as breaking up family ties are considered as such. This is the principle.”
(Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 211)
The Mother’s Right Comes First
The chapter also sets the order of fine treatment within the family:
“Abu Hurairah reported: A person came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked, ‘Who among people is most deserving of my fine treatment?’ He ﷺ said, ‘Your mother.’ He again asked, ‘Who next?’ ‘Your mother,’ the Prophet ﷺ replied again. He asked, ‘Who next?’ He (the Prophet ﷺ) said again, ‘Your mother.’ He again asked, ‘Then who?’ Thereupon he ﷺ said, ‘Then your father.’”
(Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim) (Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed pp. 210-211, Hadeeth 316)
The Shaykh explains that the mother bore her child in weakness upon weakness, carried him with hardship and gave birth to him in hardship, and that she sacrificed her sleep and her comfort for him, keeping him warm in the cold and cool in the heat.
The Shaykh concludes:
“She goes through more pain for the child than the father. Hence, her right is three times over the right of the father.”
(Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 213)
The Order of Rights in Islam
The explanation concludes by highlighting the rank of dutifulness to parents among Islamic obligations.
It is stated:
“And kind treatment of parents is from the most virtuous of deeds; rather, it is the second right after the right of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.”
(Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen, Vol. 3, printed p. 207)
This shows that after fulfilling the rights of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, the next most important rights belong to parents and family.
Key Lessons
Islam places great emphasis on honoring parents and maintaining the ties of kinship. These duties are clearly established in the Qur’an and the Sunnah and are among the most beloved deeds to Allah.
- Worship Allah alone, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, and relatives.
- Say not even a word of disrespect to your parents; lower to them the wing of humility and mercy, and pray for them.
- Kindness to parents is among the most beloved deeds to Allah, placed above Jihad in His cause, and it means treating them kindly in speech, action, and wealth.
- The mother is named three times before the father, for her right is three times his right.
- Keep the ties of kinship as they are known by custom, and beware of severing them.
Through kindness, humility, gratitude, and maintaining family relationships, a believer fulfills an essential part of faith and obedience. Honoring parents and preserving the ties of kinship are therefore among the greatest acts of righteousness and among the most important obligations placed upon a Muslim.
And Allah knows best.
References
Sharh Riyaad as-Saaliheen (Explanation of Riyaad as-Saaliheen), by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, Darussalam, 2018, translated by Abu Naasir Ibrahim Abdur-Rauf and Abu Abdil-Barr Muhammad Yaqeen: Vol. 3, chapter “Kind treatment towards parents and establishment of the ties of blood relationship”: the verses at printed pp. 205-206; Hadeeth 312 and 313 and the Shaykh’s commentary at printed pp. 207-209; Hadeeth 315 and 316 and the Shaykh’s commentary at printed pp. 210-213.
Further Reading
- How Muslims Should Treat Non-Muslim Parents: kindness to parents who are not Muslim, without obeying them in disbelief
- The Rights of Children Upon Their Parents in Islam: what parents owe their children, from before birth onward
- Can Muslims Be Friends with Non-Muslims?: kindness and loyalty toward non-Muslims, and where the line falls
Verified on 2026-10-26 against the books listed above.